In broadcast video instruction, it is common for an instructor in a studio to provide instruction to students at remote locations. The students are able to view the instructor and other lecture materials, often with clarity which is difficult to achieve in lecture hall settings. It is additionally possible to use the facilities of a studio to enhance the instructional experience.
A disadvantage of such an arrangement is that the student at a remote location is less able to communicate with the instructor to provide interactive feedback. This limits the ability of the instructor to engage the entire class in dialogue, limits the ability of the students at the remote location to make direct inquiries and isolates the students at the remote location.
A partial solution to the remote nature of broadcast video instruction is to arrange for some students to be in the studio. These students act as surrogates, and it is hoped that interactive participation of the studio audience will generate a feeling of the classroom experience.
It is also possible to provide interactivity by return connections to the instructor or studio. The student at the remote location remains isolated and it is possible that a large number of questions will either be unanswered or flood the instructor. Even with such an ability to communicate, the student is likely to feel isolated, as the means for feedback is via electronic devices rather than in person. It is the intent of the present invention to augment the electronic feedback in such a way as to provide the student with a more direct feeling of participation in an uninhibited manner.
In a lecture hall environment and in a remote classroom environment, asking questions require that the student weigh the value of the question against the lecture time consumed by the question. In addition, the student has a disincentive to ask a question in front of class for reasons of being reluctant to speak before a group.
It would be desirable to coordinate feedback in such a way that the classroom experience is preserved for the student and education is enhanced by the broadcast video instruction format, rather than made more difficult. If interactive remote instruction is to be accomplished, it is desired that the student be able participate at a location convenient to the student, even to the extent of permitting individual locations for the students where this would be advantage.
It is further desired that the students in an instructional format be afforded an opportunity to enhance their ability to explore the subject matter. It is further desired to provide broadcast video instruction in which the illusion of isolation of the student is eliminated. It is desired, when providing interactive instruction to provide an ability for the student to be provided with information concerning the subject matter regardless of whether an instructor is able to address a particular question during the classroom instruction. In doing so, it is desired to provide the instructor or studio with a tool by which student participatory feedback is available to the instructor in an ordered fashion.